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Monday, November 15, 2010

Champagne Wishes: Shaw Vineyard 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Recommended by Whom You Know

We kicked off our coverage of Shaw Vineyard last week:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/11/champagne-wishes-shaw-vineyards-keuka.html


Whom You Know was delighted with the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc!  More than one member of the Deegan family was drinking this bottle and they were in agreement that the refreshing qualities of this type and vintage were excellent.  From the Finger Lakes, the Shaw Vineyard 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is clear, crisp and light and easily drinkable.  Balanced, this is a great wine to pair with hors d'oeuvres and is perfectly pleasant with meal as well.  Evoking notes of green apples, pineapples and traces of fresh green snap peas even, we found this to be quite naturally delightful.  It's a very straightforward wine and for the beginning wine connoisseur, it is just lovely to start with and for the more experienced, it is a breath of fresh air so to speak.

The original Shaw vineyard (pre-dating the winery label), this vineyard factors into some red blends such as the Keuka Hill Reserve. Located on top of a ridge overlooking the eastern shore of Keuka Lake, Steve Shaw hopes to experiment with some of these blocks to further develop the Shaw flavor.

Planted: 1980-1981
Total Acres: 28
Types of Soil: Clay, Gravel, Shale
Composition:
24 acres of Native and Hybrid grapes
4 acres of Vinifera, including—

Riesling
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Cabernet Sauvignon

***

Winemaker Steve Shaw has been a high-quality grape grower in the Finger Lakes for 30 years, contributing to the region’s growth and emergence as a world-class producer of vinifera wines. After learning the winemaking craft during the 1990s, Steve Shaw founded the Shaw Vineyard label in 2002 and in 2004 built his production facility and tasting room on the western shore of Seneca Lake near Himrod, NY.

Shaw Vineyard is dedicated to the production of vinifera wines in a dry, cool-climate style reminiscent of the great European producers. The winery grows most of its own grapes and sources the remainder from the highest-quality Finger Lakes growers. Winemaker Steve Shaw employs careful and in some cases unique methods in his production facility, resulting in wines that exhibit complexity and full flavors.

A strong proponent of the theory that the Finger Lakes possesses the soil and climate necessary to produce many of Europe’s great wine varieties, Steve Shaw continues to experiment with his vineyard and his production facility, improving the quality of both his white and red wines. With a dedication to the proper aging of his wines prior to release, Steve Shaw hopes to distinguish himself in the Finger Lakes, a young wine region that shows more and more promise with the passing of each vintage.


http://www.shawvineyard.com

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